COMMON MILLET (Panicum miliaceum L.)

Seeds

Importance and grain composition:

In the food industry mainly husked grains are used. For feeding, rough whole grains are used in feed mixtures for exotic birds. However, millet can be included in compound feeds for farm animals and fish, too. It can be also used as an annual fodder crop.

The millet grain contains about 10-12 % crude protein, 60-70 % nitrogen-free extract (mainly starch), 4 % fat and 3 % minerals. Unhusked grain has a higher content of fibre, about 9.5%. In millet green matter there are some hepatotoxic and photosensitizing substances. Sheep without skin pigmentation are the most sensitive to them.

 Cultivation requirements:

Millet is a thermophilic plant (to germinate it needs 9–10°C), it is sensitive to frost. It is not very moisture intensive. It has a lowered ability to receive nutrients from soil, therefore it requires soils with good nutrient supply. The vegetation period is very short (60 to 80 days), therefore it can be used as an intermediate crop for green feeding or as a covering crop for clovers. Suitable previous crops are root plants, legumes and clovers. Cereals are less suitable because they enable a higher infestation with weeds. Moreover, corn and sorghum have the same pests as millet. A disadvantage of millet is an uneven maturation of grain; the grain must be dried after the harvest.